Dechra Veterinary Products has launched a campaign supporting veterinary professionals in the diagnosis and treatment of otitis externa at BSAVA World Congress.

The campaign includes a range of guidance, information and case studies from key opinion leaders.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage the identification of the organism causing infection through cytology, support the selection of the correct treatment and assist with educating clients on how to apply and use products correctly. The cytology guidance has been produced in association with veterinary dermatologists Peter Forsythe and Ariane Neuber, who is also a speaker at this year's Congress in Birmingham.

A new website www.dechra.com/timetochange is being launched to coincide with the campaign which provides online CPD focusing on skin and ear cytology.

Dechra Veterinary Products' Managing Director Bob Parmenter said: "We are delighted to launch It's Time to Change at the largest international veterinary event ever held in the UK. BSAVA World Congress has a reputation for promoting best practice, as does Dechra in its support of veterinary professionals.

"Amid a growing concern surrounding the issues of antimicrobial resistance, the new dermatology drive will aim to support vets through a holistic best practice approach to managing ear disease."

"Without the appropriate treatment combined with correct owner compliance, antimicrobial resistance could be a major issue for the companion animal veterinary profession. That's why we have launched this campaign and we're looking forward to speaking to delegates about why it's time to change."

Referral Dermatologist Sue Paterson MA, VetMB, DVD, DipECVD, MRCVS, RCVS and European Specialist in Veterinary Dermatology is available to speak with delegates at the Dechra Veterinary Products stand on Friday, April 13 and Saturday, April 14.

Supreme Petfoods has published protocols for the veterinary care of rabbits, guinea pigs and other small furries on its website: www.supremepetfoods.com.

The new infomation resource includes nursing plans and protocols for specific conditions, hospitalisation records, instructions on how to administer fluid therapy, take a blood sample, conduct a behavioural assessment and best practice manual handling.

The materials have been produced by Wendy Bament, exotic animal veterinary nurse at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh. Following workshops at the London Vet Show last year and feedback from the delegates, Wendy has transcribed some of the processes and protocols developed by the exotics team at Edinburgh for dissemination to veterinary practices across the UK.

Claire Hamblion, Marketing Manager at Supreme said: "I can't tell you how pleased we are to be involved in distributing these documents to the profession. The feedback from our live workshops really demonstrated the demand for material that would provide a framework for best practice care of small furries and now, thanks to Wendy and the team at Edinburgh, it's available to everybody. We genuinely believe that in many practices these protocols could change the approach to small furries forever."

Axiom Veterinary Laboratories and Woodley Equipment Company have announced a partnership which the companies say will mean they can offer a comprehensive solution encompassing referral laboratory services and in-house diagnostic testing, with significant cost savings for practices.  

Steve Clarke, Business Development and Marketing Manager for Axiom said: "After an exhaustive search we believe that we have found a partner in Woodley that shares our drive and ambition in delivering a first class solution to practices along with service backup. We offer a cost-effective, quality service with flexibility, fast turnaround times including a free of charge courier service across many parts of the UK and Ireland. We believe that in the current economic climate it is an ideal time for practices to review both their referral laboratory service and their in-house equipment provision."

Mike Wickham, Managing Director of Woodley Equipment Company added: "We offer a wide range of equipment, tailored to the size of the practice, workload and specialty. In partnering with Axiom Veterinary Laboratories we are able to offer a complete package including exclusive and very competitive discount structures for practices.

Both companies with be exhibiting at the forthcoming WSAVA conference in Birmingham (Axiom stand 418 and Woodley Equipment Company stand 718).

The RCVS Council has decided that the final enrolments for the remaining RCVS Diplomas must be made by 1 November 2012.

According to the College, this is in line with the recommendation made by the Education Policy and Specialisation Committee to Council that the RCVS should speed up the process of phasing out all of the remaining RCVS Diplomas in favour of the increasingly popular European Diplomas.

There are now such small numbers of candidates sitting RCVS Diploma exams that benchmarking and determining a consistent examination standard becomes increasingly difficult, and the examination increasingly indefensible and unsustainable. For example, in each of the past three years, only two candidates have entered the Diploma in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics) exam, and there was only one candidate in 2008.  Similarly, it is now usual for only one or two candidates per year to sit Diploma exams in Zoo Medicine, Cattle Health and Production or Ophthalmology.

A number of RCVS Diplomas have already been phased out, and new enrolments are no longer being taken in subjects such as Small Animal Medicine, Dermatology, Anaesthesia and Diagnostic Imaging.

Examinations will continue to be held for enrolled candidates (including candidates who enrol ahead of the 1 November 2012 deadline). The last Diploma examinations held in each subject will depend upon when its final candidates complete the pre-examination requirements. For candidates enrolling this year, this means 2019 at the latest.

The phasing out of RCVS Diplomas has been an agreed strategy of Council for many years after the then Education Strategy Steering Group recommended greater convergence with European Colleges in a report to Council in 2002 entitled "A framework for veterinary education and training for 2010 and beyond". 

The position of each subject has been under review by the respective subject boards at their annual board meetings for the last few years, and some have already been closed to new entrants. 

Professor Mike Herrtage, Chairman of the RCVS Diplomas and Certificates Subcommittee said: "For some subjects, there had been a perception that the European route required the candidate to follow a residency in an academic institution, which could be a barrier to UK practitioners' chances of completing a Diploma.

"However, all the European Colleges allow an alternate training route for practitioners provided the programme is planned and specified at the time of enrolment and approved by the College before training starts." 

In some subjects, the European Diploma syllabus may not cover exactly the same ground as the RCVS equivalent - for example, small animal surgery encompasses both soft tissue surgery as well as orthopaedics - but the trend for residency positions in both universities and specialists practices has been to take candidates through the European style programmes, which produces more surgical specialists who thereafter can major in one aspect of another.   

Mike said: "Recent experience has shown that many diplomates take the European Diploma first, and this entitles them to apply to join the list of RCVS Recognised Specialists. If they then want to specialise in a narrower field they can do so, by providing supporting data and references to show that they are practising at a specialist level in the area concerned."

Veterinary surgeons will continue to have multiple routes to RCVS Recognised Specialist status - including via European Diplomas, which also offer a route for those not in a standard residency position, American Diplomas, the RCVS Fellowship, or other such high level qualifications.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and British Small Animal Veterinary Association have issued a joint statement concerning the postgraduate qualifications CertAVP, PGCertSAM and PGCertSAS.

The statement follows the introduction earlier this year of the BSAVA's Postgraduate Certificates in Medicine and Surgery.

Dr Frances Barr, BSAVA's Director of Education (pictured right) said: "There has been a natural interest in how the BSAVA PGCertSAM and PGCertSAS compare with the RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP). Detailed discussions over the last few months between BSAVA and the RCVS have resulted in agreement that the two qualifications are academically equivalent, as outlined in a formal position statement. Individuals can therefore choose to study for the qualification which suits them best."

For thirty years, veterinary postgraduate qualifications at certificate level have been available within the UK; until recently, these were organised through and awarded by the RCVS. In recent years the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice has been introduced, with assessment of accredited modules by a range of universities, and the final award made by the RCVS. With the development of the BSAVA Postgraduate Certificate programmes, questions have naturally arisen regarding the equivalence of these two programmes, and whether a stated requirement for 'a certificate' for a particular purpose refers to the general level of postgraduate qualification or to one particular qualification. It is natural that prospective candidates and employers should ask such questions when considering options for postgraduate study.

The joint position statement by the RCVS and the BSAVA:
Representatives from the RCVS CertAVP subcommittee and BSAVA have therefore discussed the RCVS and BSAVA certificate programmes in detail. The statement here is intended to set out agreed principles which might be needed to allow resolution of any future questions about equivalence or accreditation.

• The RCVS Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP) and the BSAVA Postgraduate Certificates (PGCertSAM and PGCertSAS) are academically equivalent.
  Each qualification is positioned at Level 7 (Masters) within the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and carries 60 academic credits at this level. The qualifications are therefore, by definition, academically equivalent.
• The RCVS CertAVP and the BSAVA PGCert are similar, but not identical, in content (depending on the modules studied). They differ in structure.
  The two qualifications are therefore likely to appeal to different groups of individuals, depending on their interests and preferred style of learning. Both qualifications are intended to develop practitioners who are able to deliver a consistently high standard of care to their patients.
• Transfer of academic credits between the two programmes (RCVS CertAVP and BSAVA PGCert) would, in theory, be possible.
  The two programmes have a different modular structure, and some difference in content (depending on the modules studied). Formal requests by candidates to transfer credit from partial completion of one programme towards the other would be considered on an individual basis, according to the guidelines of the RCVS or BSAVA (with guidance from Nottingham Trent University), as applicable.
  The concept of academic credits from either qualification being accepted towards a full Masters degree in the future is welcomed by RCVS and BSAVA.
• Accreditation of the RCVS CertAVP and the BSAVA PGCert for any particular purpose would be considered against defined objectives.
  The principles pertaining to academic equivalence and credit structure would apply. No universally applicable principle would be in place, but accreditation arrangements should usually consider outputs, or statements of competency, rather than inputs, such as specific qualifications. Therefore where the particular purpose requires evidence of postgraduate development, this is the wording that should be used rather than to detail specific qualifications. It is acknowledged that such an approach is already being taken with respect to the Practice Standards scheme, and the remaining RCVS Diplomas.

The 'middle tier' postulated in the current RCVS Consultation on Specialisation, and the proposed 'acknowledged veterinarian' status under consideration in Europe, are not currently sufficiently defined to allow a position to be agreed.

The Education team will be talking to delegates about applying for 2013 places for the Postgraduate Certificates, its webinars and the new VN Merit Awards on the BSAVA Balcony at Congress from 11th-15th April.

Petplan has announced the finalists for the 2012 Petplan Veterinary Awards. 

According to the company, the awards have been more popular than ever, with over 3,000 nominations submitted for exceptional veterinary staff across the UK.                                                                        

The finalists for each of the categories are:

Vet of the Year
Zaila Dunbar, Queens Park Veterinary Practice - London
Tony Barnes, Manor Veterinary Clinic - Folkestone
Mark Taylor, Feldon Veterinary Centre - Bedworth 

Vet Nurse of the Year
Lucy Kells, The Wildlife Aid Foundation - Leatherhead
Rachael Harris, Elms Veterinary Surgery - Monmouth
Sarah Algar, Brentknoll Veterinary Centre Ltd - Worcester

Support Staff of the Year
Sarah Bowler, Holly House Veterinary Surgery - Knutsford
Jane Wyatt, George Hunt and Son - Poynton
Cathy Campbell, Haygate Veterinary Centre - Telford

Vet Practice of the Year
Eastcott Veterinary Clinic and Hospital - Swindon
Prince Bishop Veterinary Hospital - County Durham
Broadleys Veterinary Hospital - Stirling

Simon Masding, Petplan's Head of Sales and Partnerships, said: "The Vet of the Year Awards are the highlight of our Petplan calendar because they recognise the dedication that the veterinary industry puts into providing the nation's pets with the best possible treatment. Each year the nominations reach an even higher standard and we're delighted with this year's finalists. At Petplan we work with more veterinary professionals than any other insurance provider and it is through these awards that we thank the profession on behalf of UK pet owners."

Petplan has also announced that comedian Seann Walsh, known for his appearances on shows like Mock the Week and Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, will be this year's compère for the Vet of the Year Awards. Following in the footsteps of previous compères Michael McIntyre, Alistair McGowan, Frankie Boyle and Jason Manford; he will be entertaining this year's guests on the 12^th April at Birmingham Town Hall.

For further information visit www.petplan.co.uk/vetawards/

Bob Martin has launched FleaClear (fipronil) for cats and dogs, which will be sold through multiple retailers and leading pet retailers for as little as £4.50 per treatment.

The company says it is backing the launch with 'considerable marketing spend', which will include TV advertising, a press campaign in women's consumer lifestyle titles, PR and social media campaigns.

According to the company's press release:  "Not only is it cheaper than Frontline it can be bought off the shelf saving a costly visit to the vets."

Indeed. Not to mention the savings to be made by not having to hospitalise the permethrined cat.

Exotics referral practitioner, Mark Rowland MRCVS CertZooMed MRCVS has launched an iPhone app for GPs which puts all the information you need about the commonly presented exotic species at your fingertips.

Mark said: "Vets often have little training in exotic animal medicine, an area which is becoming increasingly important as more rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, tortoises, other reptiles and birds are presented in practice. Although data is available in books, it usually has to be sourced, which can be difficult if the practice does not have the relevant texts."

"For this reason, I've developed an iPhone app which provides species biological data, such as normal temperatures and gestation periods, a exotics formulary, a list of common conditions and a gallery of images and video footage of basic procedures."

Mark says he hopes it'll be an invaluable mobile resource for veterinary surgeons, students, nurses and technicians worldwide, and that he will be updating it regularly.

Veterinary Care of Exotic Pets is now available now from iTunes, priced at £7.99. Click here for more information: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/veterinary-care-exotic-pets/id511902278?mt=8

The RCVS has restored its full approval to the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Science.

The full approval was granted by the RCVS Council in March, at the recommendation of the Education Policy and Specialisation Committee (EPSC), following the positive report of a visitation carried out in mid-December 2011 under the chairmanship of former RCVS President Stephen Ware.

The School had been under conditional approval since a visit in March 2007, and a subsequent revisit in October 2009 had identified that although progress had been made, work still needed to be completed to improve some of the facilities, particularly in small animal surgery and on the farm. 

The RCVS Council commended the hard work and improvements displayed by the School, and was pleased to restore it to full approval status. 

Professor Stuart Reid, EPSC Chairman said: "The University has demonstrated a welcome and continued commitment to the development of the School, and is to be congratulated on making  significant financial investments in staffing and facilities, despite the current difficult economic climate.

"There is a positive and constructive atmosphere, which is a credit to the Head of School and all the staff who have clearly worked extremely hard to meet the challenges presented to them at a time of change within the university sector as a whole."

The School is next scheduled for a full visitation in 2014.

Endell Veterinary Group Equine Hospital in Wiltshire has stationed an equine veterinary surgeon on the Isle of Wight permanently to ensure that the island's numerous horses can receive rapid treatment when they need it. 

Florus Oskam MRCVS is providing a routine and emergency mobile ambulatory service around the island 24 hours a day. Florus also has the back up of mainland ambulatory vets who also spend time on the Island.  Appointments with specific vets to visit the island can also be arranged. 

Florus said: "We have been providing a veterinary service on the Isle of Wight for the past 30 years and have a very loyal client base. For years they have been asking us for a permanent service on the island and we are delighted to be able to provide it at last."

Anita Niccolls, dressage rider and trainer on the Isle of Wight, added: "It's very reassuring to know that a vet of Florus's calibre is now resident on the Island and that we are able to have continuity of vet care should a horse need further treatment at the practice's equine hospital in Salisbury."

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has dismissed an application for restoration to the RCVS Register from Dr Janos Nemeth, who was struck off in 2009 for fraudulent registration.

This was Dr Nemeth's second unsuccessful restoration application, and the Committee said it would hear no further application unless the Committee Chairman, advised by the Legal Assessor, considered it to have a reasonable prospect of success.

At the original hearing on the 23rd February 2009, Dr Nemeth, who had practised in the Wokingham area of Berkshire, was found to have dishonestly entered his name in the RCVS Register. Although he held a veterinary science degree from the Szent István University in Budapest, he had included a forged document in his registration application. He lodged an appeal with the Privy Council the following month, but did not pursue it; the appeal was dismissed in September 2009 and his name was removed from the Register. Dr Nemeth was ordered to pay costs of £8,904.59, which remain outstanding.

In September 2010, he applied to the RCVS Disciplinary Committee for restoration of his name to the RCVS Register, denying that he had produced a fraudulent document. In refusing the application, the then-Committee told Dr Nemeth that it had no appellate jurisdiction and that the onus was on him to demonstrate that he was a fit and proper person, before his name could be restored. It advised him generally about a future application for restoration.

At this week's restoration hearing, Dr Nemeth told the Committee that he did accept the original findings of the Committee but, at the same time, told them again that he was not party to the forgery. He also said that he held a licence to practise from the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber, and had been employed since October 2011 as a veterinary surgeon in a small animal hospital in Budapest, where he carried out a wide range of work including surgery. He also said he had attended two CPD courses. 

The Committee accepted this. However, it continued to be concerned about the absence of evidence. Dr Nemeth had not produced evidence of CPD undertaken or provided letters of support from employers or colleagues, to give comfort to the assertion that he should be permitted to practise in the UK. The Committee rejected Dr Nemeth's argument that his licence to practise in Hungary meant he did not need to do this. 

Committee Chairman Professor Peter Lees said: "The Committee is disappointed by Dr Nemeth's continuing lack of insight and is satisfied that he has paid insufficient attention to the guidance given at the previous restoration hearing. The burden remains on him to satisfy this Committee that he is a fit and proper person, before his name can be restored to the Register."

The application was dismissed.

Virbac Animal Health has launched an enhanced version of its flea and tick spot-on Effipro (fipronil) to help pet owners master the art of 'spotonology^TM - a Maureen-Lipmanesque term the company has coined to describe the optimum application of a spot on treatment.

Effipro is now presented in a clear pipette featuring 'Drop-lock' technology to provide precise finger tip control of the flow of liquid with no risk of drip or leakage. The pipette has also been redesigned to ensure it is simple to open and that users can easily check that all the treatment has been dispensed.

Virbac says Effipro is priced to offer an effective but affordable solution to parasite control. It is presented in client packs of four pipettes and in practice packs of 24 to offer flexible dispensing opportunities.  It is also available in a spray form. 

Victoria Hudson, Product Manager at Virbac, said:  "Parasite control is a key revenue generator for many practices. It also presents a great opportunity to create loyal, bonded clients as fleas and ticks cause great concern to pet owners.

"Effipro is already a popular product but we know that some owners find using spot-ons difficult and worry about the risk of the liquid getting on to their fingers or on furniture, particularly if their pets move around while the treatment is being applied.

"With this in mind, we've taken a fresh look at the technology of spot-ons in order to ensure that we're providing a solution which is as simple and hassle-free as possible. As a first step, we've redesigned our pipette. Our unique Drop-lock technology means that owners can start or stop the flow of liquid with their finger tips, giving them full control over where and when the product is applied. The new see-through design and enhanced opening mechanism also make the new version of Effipro more convenient to use.

"We've had great feedback from practices which have trialled the product and believe it represents a significant step forward for users of spot-ons. We are, of course, providing a range of support materials and product promotions to support its launch and look forward to working with our customers to ensure that their clients become expert and enthusiastic 'Spot.on.ologists' during 2012.

For further information about Effipro contact your Territory Manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.